Improvement in safety car-brake



A. S. MARTIN.

Car Brake.

Patented Aug. 30, 1870.

W'ewes:

N PETLHS, Fholo-LRhogi-apher, Washington, D. C.

treat fishes pat ent can;

ANTHONY it. MARTIN, OF WASHINGTON DIST-RIOT OF COLUMBIA.

Letters Patent No. 106,847, dated August 30, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY CAR-BRAKE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Figure 1 isa longitudinal section of the invention,.

as it appears out of action, it being shown on the hindmost car of a train, coupled, merely for illustration, directly to the engine-truck. In the practical vuse of the safety-brake, there will be several cars. be: tween the hindmost one and the engine-truck, provided with the ordinary friction shoe-brakes, and the hindmost car will also be provided with the ordinary brake, and with two pairs of the safety-brake shoes, as additional thereto.

Figure 2 is a similar section, showing the safetybrake thrown into operation.

' Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the safety shoes, and a portiorrof the, rod which connects the shoes together in pairs.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the shoe, resting longitudinally upon a rail of the track.

v Similar letters 'ofreference in the several figures indicate corresponding parts. h

The nature of my invention consists -in the combination of a line of jointed rods, leading from the engine-truck, or other forward portion of atrain of cars, to the rear car of a train, with rail shoes which are flanged, grooved, and inclined, such shoes being arranged upon the under side of the truck-frame of the car in such a manner as to be held in suspension above the rails of the track by oneof the jointed rods of the line, and to be instantaneously dropped down, at the will of the engineer, npon'the rails of the track, so as to allow the wheels of the car to roll upon them, all as will be hereinafter explained.

It consists, secondly, in forming the bottom of the shoes with flanges, grooved and inclined top surface, and ratchet-toothed bottom surface, so that they correspond with the tread and flange of the wheels, and that there shall be a cutting contact between the rails and the shoes when the weight of the car comes upon the shoes, and the shoes and car are caused to slide together upon the rails.

. It consists, thirdly, in the arrangement of slotted links, sliding, hinged stay-rods, and elastic cushions,

whereby the shoes may be allowed to adjust themselves to a proper position for the wheels to roll upon them, and whereby, also, during said rolling of the wheels upon them, they (the shoes) are sustained with a yielding resistance, and thus liability of breakage of the shoes, and a. too sudden shock when the shoes and wheels first come in contact is avoided.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing I have only shown one pair of the safety shoes on the hindmost cartruck of a train, but in practice there will betwo pair of shoes, with connecting-rod, links, stay-rods, elastic cushions, rods for holding up the shoes and cords for elevating the shoes after they have been lowered upon the rails and accomplished their work.

A represents what may be regarded, for'illustra- I tion, an engine-truck, and

B the truck of the hindmost car of a train of cars. (l are the ordinary coupling-links. D, a line of rods jointed together, as at E, between the cars, there being a joint at each place where there is a coupling-link between cars.

The joints are'formed, by means of eyes, on the rods, and removable pins inserted through the eyes. This line of rods may be a little to one side of the ordinary coupling-links: The section of rod which is under the floor of the last car of the train terminates in a crank or right angle, as shown at E, for a pnrpose presently to be described.

G is one of a pair of shoes, arranged under the hindmost car of a train, directly over the rails of the track. These shoes have flanges a (4, extending below their bottom surface.- They are also grooved, as at b b, so as to correspond with the tread and flange of the car-wheels; and the bottom of this groove rises on a curvilinear incline, as shown.

On the under surface of the shoes, ratchet-teeth (L are cut, as represented at H.

H is a, transverse bar, connecting two shoes together. I

I is one of a pair of links, and

J, one of a pair of stay-rods, for connecting the shoes to the car-truck.

The links are slotted, as at e, at the points where they are connected to the ear-frame, so as to slide on their pivotal connections f, when the shoes are raised or lowered.

- The stay-rods, alter being pivoted to the heels of shoes, as at g, are passed loosely through buliers on the car-flame, and also through elastic cushions h hand then enlarged, so as not to become disconnected, and also so as to be capable of acting with a compression force against the elastic cushions.

K is a cord or chain, by which the shoes are lifted to a position to be suspended uponthe crank or rightangled end of the last section of the line of rods, as shown in fig. 1.

Dis a lever on the GDgiHGlZ-I'HGk tO which the line of rods for suspending and for releasing the safety shoes is connected.

This lever is to be in convenient position on the engine, and as it is designed that the engineer shall operate thesafety-shoes simultaneously with cut-oii' of the steam of the engine, this lever wilhbe arranged in close relation to the cutofl' of the engine.

7 upon the rails; friction will be created between them and the rails by the toothed bottom surface thereof cutting into the rails, and therefore the carrwheels will ride upon the inclined top surface of shoes, the

slotted links and yielding cushions of the stay-rods allowing this to take place without much of a jar, or

a violent concussion being experienced. c.

There, of course, will be a'short sliding upon and cutting away of the. rails before the car is stopped,

but itis believed that by.this arrangement and the cutting 0d of the steam, and the application of oil to the rails at the .points where the engine drive-wheels come in contact with them, a very quick and'sufe arrest of .the train of cars may be eii'ected.

In practice. it will be essential to make the coupling-links very strong, as there will be very'great tensioua-l strain brought to bear upon them, when the hind car is suddenly arrested.

For stopping the cars, under ordinary circumstances, the usual shoe-brakes will be used, and they may also be used to assist in stopping the wheels of the intermediate cars when anaccident is about to occur, and

thus much of the strain on the links will be obviated.

My invention is for extraordinaryfoccasions, and as it is very important to save human life, it will notbe of much consequence if a small portion of the rails is cut into and injuredby the shoes in the efi'ort to i save hundreds of lives.

Having described my invention, What [claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is-

I 1. The combination of the flanged, grooved, and inclined shoes, hung upon the hindmost carof a train,

'with the line or chain of rods leading from the engine, substantially in themanner and for the purpose desoribed.

2. The construction of the shoes with 8 groove, corresponding to the tread and flange of the wheels,

and with'roughened or cutting bottom surface, sub- Q stantially as described. 7 7

3. The arrangement of' the slotted links I, sliding hinged stay-rods J, cushions h, as described. ANTHONY S. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

J. N. CAMPBELL, It. A. HYDE. 

